International
Amnesty: Hamas forces beating and threatening peaceful protesters in Gaza
Amnesty International (AI) reported on Wednesday that Hamas’s internal security forces have harassed, intimidated, and beaten civilians in the Gaza Strip for participating in peaceful protests.
According to the organization, the incidents took place over the past two months, as Gazans took to the streets to protest not only against what they described as “Israel’s genocide” and the escalating bombings, but also against Hamas itself, which governs the enclave.
“These protests have attracted hundreds, if not thousands, of Palestinians. Demonstrators chanted slogans and carried banners criticizing the Hamas-led authorities in Gaza. Some even called for the end of Hamas rule,” said Amnesty. Protests were reported in locations such as Jabalia refugee camp, the Shuja’iya neighborhood in Gaza City, and Khan Younis.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty’s Director of Research, Advocacy and Campaigns, called on Hamas authorities to “immediately end all repressive measures against Palestinians who bravely and openly express dissent against Hamas practices in Gaza.”
“Reports of beatings, threats, and interrogations are extremely alarming and constitute serious violations of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” she added, calling it “abhorrent and shameful” that such intimidation is being added to the atrocities already suffered by Gaza’s population.
Amnesty said it interviewed more than a dozen individuals who had taken part in the protests. Several reported being summoned outside of official procedures, beaten with sticks, and in some cases, threatened with death.
“Security forces came in threatening and beating us, accusing us of being traitors just for protesting,” one protester told Amnesty.
Another young man recounted being hit in the neck with sticks, shouted at, and accused of collaborating with Israeli intelligence: “I lost my family in one of the worst massacres of this war—five brothers and their children were killed. It’s horrifying to be labeled a collaborator, to have your patriotism questioned, after your family has been ripped from you,” he said.
International
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed concerns over China’s growing military activity near Taiwan during a meeting on Friday with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Kuala Lumpur.
“It was a constructive and positive meeting,” Hegseth wrote on X. “I emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and raised U.S. concerns about China’s actions around Taiwan,” the self-governed island that Beijing claims and does not rule out invading.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus, one day after U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. According to Trump, Taiwan was not discussed during their talks.
“The United States does not seek conflict and will continue to firmly defend its interests, ensuring it maintains the capability to do so in the region,” Hegseth added in his message.
Friday’s encounter followed a September 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong. Their previously planned meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore was canceled due to Dong’s absence from the event.
Trump’s sit-down with Xi — their first since 2019 — resulted in some trade agreements but avoided addressing the issue of Taiwan, a long-standing source of tension between the world’s two largest powers.
Trump has taken a more ambiguous stance on Taiwan’s future compared with former President Joe Biden, who repeatedly stated that Washington would support Taipei if China launched an invasion. The Republican president has also criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the U.S. semiconductor industry.
International
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
The United States may soon carry out airstrikes on military facilities inside Venezuela as part of an escalating offensive against Nicolás Maduro’s regime, according to reports Friday from the Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal, citing sources close to the Trump administration.
Airstrikes could take place “within days or even hours,” the Herald reported. The Journal noted that while the option is under serious consideration, President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision on authorizing strikes on Venezuelan soil.
Potential targets allegedly include military-controlled ports and airports used in drug trafficking operations, such as naval installations and airstrips, officials told the Journal.
The Herald also quoted a source saying that “Maduro’s time is running out”, suggesting that more than one Venezuelan general may be ready to detain and hand him over. However, officials declined to confirm whether the Venezuelan leader would be among the military targets.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to block the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, following nearly two months of airstrikes against vessels in the Pacific and the Caribbean. Those operations have destroyed 15 boats and left 61 people dead and three survivors since September 1.
“We are finally waging a war against the cartels — a war like they’ve never seen before — and we are going to win that battle. We are already winning at sea,” Trump told U.S. troops during a speech in Japan.
The reports on possible airstrikes come on the same day the United Nations accused the U.S. of violating international law with its maritime operations, saying those killed at sea may have been victims of extrajudicial executions.
International
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
Pope Leo XIV announced on Friday that he will revive and update the Global Compact on Education, an initiative launched by the late Pope Francis aimed at deeply transforming global culture through education.
The announcement was made during an audience in St. Peter’s Square, held on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Educational World, which this week gathers more than 20,000 participants from 124 countries in Rome.
During his address, the pontiff — who is of U.S. origin and Peruvian nationality — emphasized the importance of restoring the value of educators and reinforcing the principles that support the pact.
“We must be careful: damaging the social and cultural role of educators means mortgaging our own future,” he warned before thousands in attendance. “A crisis in the transmission of knowledge leads to a crisis of hope.”
The Global Compact on Education, launched by Pope Francis, seeks an integral and long-term cultural transformation. It is structured around five pillars: dignity and human rights; fraternity and cooperation; technology and integral ecology; education for peace and citizenship; and culture and religions. To date, the initiative has been joined by over 553 schools and nearly 410,000 students, according to Catholic Schools data.
Pope Leo XIV also expressed concern over the widespread inner fragility affecting both students and teachers — many of whom feel overwhelmed by bureaucratic burdens.
He additionally addressed the role of artificial intelligence in education, warning that it may worsen emotional isolation among learners: “It can further isolate students who are already isolated, giving them the illusion that they do not need others — or worse, the feeling that they are unworthy of them,” he said.
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International3 days agoJamaica faces widespread destruction as hurricane Melissa hits the island
-
International4 days agoColombian president Gustavo Petro denies alleged ties to criminal networks
-
International4 days agoMexican journalist reporting on drug cartels killed in Durango
-
International2 days agoMelissa leaves path of destruction in Caribbean, 735,000 evacuated in Cuba
-
International5 days agoArgentina’s Milei secures strong victory and calls for dialogue after election surge
-
International13 hours agoHurricane Melissa kills over 30, leaves thousands displaced in the Caribbean
-
Central America3 days agoNew dismembered bodies found in San Juan river days after mass killing in Palencia
-
Central America3 days agoFour guatemalan soldiers arrested for stealing weapons from Northern Air Command
-
Central America4 days agoEl Salvador cracks down on narcotics: 24 tons confiscated in major anti-drug operation
-
International1 day agoHurricane Melissa leaves Jamaican residents homeless as recovery efforts begin
-
Central America3 days agoArévalo accuses Porras and judge of undermining democracy in Guatemala
-
International5 days agoMaduro accuses U.S. of aggression over Caribbean military drills
-
International2 days ago
Argentina’s Milei opens dialogue with parties to push “Second-Generation Reforms”
-
Central America4 days agoEl Salvador’s FGR prosecutes 89,875 gang members under state of exception
-
International1 day agoUS Deputy Secretary criticizes Mexico’s call to end Cuba trade embargo at UN
-
International1 day agoTrump orders immediate U.S. nuclear testing, ending 30-year moratorium
-
International1 day agoBrazilian president defends coordinated anti-drug operations after deadly Rio raid
-
International1 day agoVenezuela warns citizens who call for invasion risk losing nationality
-
International13 hours agoTrump sets historic low refugee cap at 7,500, prioritizes white South Africans
-
International1 day agoMexico advances continental shelf claims at UN Commission in New York
-
International1 day agoSimeón Pérez Marroquín, ‘El Viejo,’ detained for role in Miguel Uribe Turbay assassination plot
-
International9 hours agoU.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
-
International13 hours ago
UNICEF: Over 700,000 children affected by Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean
-
International9 hours agoU.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
-
International9 hours agoPope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis